New L Street NW Bike Lane Opens In DC

WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- A new bike lane, better protected from vehicles thanks to plastic bollards and a painted buffer, opened on L Street NW in D.C. On Tuesday.

Mayor Vincent Gray, District Department of Transportation Director Terry Bellamy, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and local bicyclists officially opened the lane in a celebration at L Street and 15th Street. The new lane crosses another bike track at this intersection.

In a statement released Thursday, Gray said, "Here, where the L Street and 15th Street bike lanes cross paths, you can see a new transportation network taking shape - one that treats cyclists with respect and concern for their safety...I believe that having such a network is critical if we are going to meet our goal of becoming a more sustainable city by reducing our dependence on the automobile to get around town. Increasing safety for cyclists and growing the number of bike lanes in the District are parts of my One City Action Plan."

The L Street NW lane runs east from New Hampshire Avenue to 12th Street. It's painted green at intersections for greater visibility, and there are merge zones so drivers can cross the bike lane to get to the left turn lanes.

DDOT hopes to lay down another cycle track on M Street NW to parallel the L Street lane.